Abakwa-Israyeli Bahlela Ukuzivikela
1Aba-Israyeli ababehlala kulo lonke iJudiya bezwa konke uHolofernesi umkhuzi wempi kaNebukhadinezari, inkosi yase-Asiriya akwenzileyo ezizweni, ukuthi ubhidlize wachitha kanjani onke amathempeli azo. 2Bangenwa itwetwe elikhulu ekusondeleni kwakhe; bekhathazekile ngenxa yeJerusalema nangenxa yethempeli leNkosi uNkulunkulu wabo. 3Ngokuba babesanda kubuya nje ekuthunjweni, futhi bonke abantu bakwaJuda babesanda kuhlangana ndawonye, nezitsha ezingcwele kanye ne-althare kwakusanda kungcweliswa emva kokungcoliswa kwakho.
4Ngakho-ke bathumela izwi kuzo zonke izifunda zaseSamariya, kanye naseKona, eBhethi Horoni, eBhelmayini, eJerikho, eKhoba e-Ayesora kanye nasesigodini saseSalema. 5Ngokushesha bathatha zonke izindawo eziphakemeyo zokwenza imihlatshelo base bevikela imizi kanye nezigodi, balondoloza ukudla ukulungisela impi, kwazise amasimu abo ayesanda kuvunwa.
6Umphristi omkhulu uJowakimi, owayeseJerusalema ngaleso sikhathi, wabhalela izakhamuzi zaseBhethuliya nabaseBhayithomesthayimi, elalibhekene ne-Esdrayeloni elimaqondana nokhalo oluseduze neDothani, 7ebayala ukuba bavimbe izintuba zezintaba okungahlaselwa ngazo uJuda, ngokuba kuyoba lula ukuvimba noma ngubani ofuna ukungena, ngenxa yokuba lezi ndlela zingumngcingo, zenela abantu ababili nje ukuba bedlule ngesikhathi esisodwa. 8Ngakho-ke aba-Israyeli benza njengokuba beyaliwe nguJowakimi umphristi omkhulu, nesigungu sabo bonke abantu bakwa-Israyeli esasihlezi ezikhundleni eJerusalema.
Umkhuleko Ka-Israyeli Ngaphambi Kwempi
9Wonke amadoda akwa-Israyeli akhala kakhulu kuNkulunkulu ngentshisekelo, ezithoba kanzulu, ezila ukudla, ecela ukuhawukelwa. 10Bona nomkabo nabantwana babo nezinkomo zabo nawo wonke umuntu owayehlala phakathi kwabo, izisebenzi eziqashiwe kanye nezigqila, bonke bembatha amasaka ezinkalweni zabo. 11Wonke amadoda, namakhosikazi, nabantwana bakwa-Israyeli, ababehlala eJerusalema bawa phansi balala cu phambi kwethempeli, baziqhola ngomlotha emakhanda abo bendlala amasaka phambi kweNkosi. 12Baze bagqokisa ne-althare ngamasaka, bakhala besho ngengila kuNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli ukuba angavumeli izingane zabo zithunjwe nabafazi babo bathathwe njengempango, imizi yabo eyifa labo ichithwe, nokuba indawo engcwele ingcoliswe ibe yisinengiso kujabule abezizwe.
13INkosi yawuzwa umkhuleko wabo, yakuzwa ukukhathazeka kwabo, ngokuba abantu base bezile izinsuku eziningi kulo lonke elaseJudiya naseJerusalema phambi kwendawo engcwele yeNkosi uSomandla. 14UJowakimi umphristi omkhulu nabo bonke abaphristi ababema phambi kweNkosi beyikhonza, bebhince amasaka ezinkalweni zabo, banikela nsuku zonke iminikelo yokushiswa, neyezifungo kanye neminye iminikelo yesihle evela kubantu, 15nezigqoko zabo zifafazwe ngomlotha, bakhala kuNkulunkulu ngamandla abo onke ukuba abe nomusa kuyo yonke indlu ka-Israyeli.
